m a r k e r i c k s o n p a i n t i n g s Frank Severin Erickson Ernest Julius Erickson Andrew Anders Sebran Erickson American Expeditionary Force 1918 - 1919 Out West & North Dakota
The 308th Infantry better known since as the 'Lost Battalion' made their stand here in the valley and wooded area near the La Viergette Road in Binarville, France. Of the nine companies of the 77th Division, the 308th was under the unique command of Major Charles W. Whittlesey. The Major was disparagingly referred to by his commanders as that 'New York Lawyer' previous to his 'Lost Battalion' fame and subsequently receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Argonne. This unit of the 'Liberty Division,' or the 'Statue of Liberty Division,' was comprised of 554 men that ran into serious deadly trouble on October 2nd, 1918 when through an unfortunate chain of misunderstandings and events became isolated by the Germans. Their lives all hinged on what each man could individually accomplish in the next week to survive. Through many days of dire costly combat, friendly fire artillery and lack of food, water and ammunition, only 194 men emerged through 'the pocket' of the Argonne Forest to safety on October 8th. The remaining 350 plus men were either killed and or captured.
The 2nd photograph below was taken on October 8th, 1918 soon after the men
had escaped out of the fiasco of the previous week. Frank is marked on the right
with an arrow. |
h o m e